Although the complete Gracie Family history far exceeds what is included herein, the timeline below briefly describes 12 of the most significant occurrences that took place over the three generations the Gracies have been teaching jiu-jitsu. If you have any questions regarding Gracie Family history, beyond what is covered in the content below, please submit your question to the Forum section so we can help you find the answer.

1925- The Gracie Academy is BornCarlos Gracie establishes the first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Carlos and his brothers taught Japanese Jiu-Jitsu techniques that Carlos learned from Esai Maeda, a Japanese immigrant. Helio Gracie, the youngest of Carlos’ brothers, was restricted from practicing due to his small size and weak body. As a result, Helio spent most of his time observing the lessons taught by his older brothers.

1928- The Transformation BeginsCarlos Gracie is late for a private lesson, so Helio offers to teach the class in his brother’s absence. Although he had never practiced the techniques, he had memorized them after years of patient observation. Helio quickly realized that he was not strong enough to successfully apply the Japanese techniques against a larger opponent. Never one to quit, Helio sought ways to make the techniques work using leverage, timing, and natural body movements instead of strength, speed, and coordination.

1931- The First TestHelio defeats Antonio Portugal, a much heavier boxer. Helio submits the boxer in minutes, proving that his improvements would enable a smaller person to defeat a larger, more athletic opponent. His victory inspired him to continue modifying the Japanese techniques until he produced an art that would enable anyone, regardless of their physical attributes, to defend themselves against a larger assailant.

1947- Helio Gracie vs. Joe LouisOne June 6, Helio Gracie publicly challenges world heavyweight boxing champion, Joe Louis, to a no-holds-barred fight to refute an article published in Reader’s Digest arguing for the superiority of boxing over jiu-jitsu. Joe Louis’ manager declines the invitation. Even though the fight never took place, Helio’s challenge confirmed that he was willing to fight anyone, anytime, anywhere, in order to prove his system’s effectiveness.

1951- The Ultimate ConfirmationOn October 23, Helio Gracie fights Masahiko Kimura, the best Japanese Jiu-Jitsu fighter of his day. After more than 20 years of modifying and adapting the techniques, Helio was very curious to see how his adaptations would fare against the world jiu-jitsu champion. Kimura, who was eighty pounds heavier than Helio, was so confident of victory that he declared if Helio lasted more than three minutes he should be considered the winner. Helio frustrated Kimura for thirteen minutes before Carlos ended the fight to protect his brother from serious injury due to the shoulder lock that today bears Kimura’s name. Many consider this “defeat” to be one of Helio’s greatest accomplishments, as Kimura was so impressed with Helio’s technical skill that he invited him to share his improvements with his Japanese peers.

1955- The Longest FightOn May 24, Helio Gracie, 43, fights Waldemar Santana in the longest uninterrupted no-holds-barred fight in history. Even though retired from competition, Helio accepted Santana’s challenge, despite being 20 years older and almost 40 pounds lighter than the former Gracie Academy student. After fighting nonstop for three hours and forty minutes, Helio became disoriented and Carlos again ended the match to protect him. Although Santana was the victor, Helio’s ability to fend off the attack of a younger, stronger, more athletic, highly skilled grappler for nearly four hours earned him great respect and recognition. In fact, this dramatic demonstration of his art’s effectiveness resulted in the greatest influx of students in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy’s history.

1978- The Garage Days In the summer of 1978, Helio’s eldest son, Rorion, leaves Brazil for the United States determined to share his father’s revolutionary system of self-defense with the rest of the world. Rorion knew that the popularization of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu in the United States would open the door to worldwide exposure. He arrived in Southern California with nothing but his passion for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and his faith that he would succeed. Short on money and turned away by every martial arts school, he resorted to teaching classes in his garage. He offered a free lesson to every person he met and, within months, had a dedicated following.

1980- The Gracie ChallengeRorion invites anyone of any size or discipline to fight him to prove his superiority of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu over all other martial arts. Rorion derived the Gracie Challenge from his frustration with America’s misplaced belief in the effectiveness of flashy martial arts that used high-flying kicks and brick breaking to prove their worth. Following the first generation’s example, Rorion issued the Gracie Challenge as the supreme statement of his confidence in his family’s system of fighting. Martial artists of all disciplines flocked to the challenge, and were shocked as the gentle, efficient techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu defeated all-comers.

1989- The Grand OpeningRorion, with brothers Rickson, Royce, and Royler, opens the first Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Torrance, California, to meet the overwhelming demand for instruction in this unique Brazilian self-defense system. Local martial artists quickly grasped this significance of the stunning Gracie Jiu-Jitsu victories over heavy-hitting opponents. With 130 students training in the garage, and 80 more on a waiting list, Rorion established what would eventually become the world headquarters for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

1993- The Global AwakeningOn November 12, Rorion Gracie changes the martial arts world forever with the airing of the Ultimate Fighting Championship®. In the 1970s and 80s, the popularity of Hollywood martial arts hatched hundreds of fighting styles, with each claiming to be superior to all others. Rorion sought to end the debate over which art was superior once and for all by pitting masters against each other in a true no-holds-barred setting. The results of Rorion’s eight-man, single elimination tournament shocked the world, as Royce Gracie-the smallest and most unassuming fighter in the competition-emerged victorious. Royce’s victory, as had Helio’s victories before him, proved that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu was not only the most reliable system of self-defense, but also the only system that gives the average person a realistic chance against a larger, more athletic opponent.

1994- The U.S. Army Goes GracieThe U.S. Army, the world’s most powerful army, chooses Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as the basis for its military combatives program. Members of U.S. Army Special Operations units charged with finding the most effective combatives systems selected Gracie Jiu-Jitsu based on its demonstrated effectiveness. They asked Rorion to develop an intensive training course that would prepare soldiers for hand-to-hand combat in the least amount of time. After thoroughly analyzing hundreds of fights, Rorion identified 36 techniques that were used more often and with more success than all others. He crafted a short course based on these techniques, and presented it to the Army. These techniques now serve as the foundation for the U.S. Army’s Modern Army Combatives Program, and have been adopted by hundreds of military and law enforcement organizations around the world. Today, through the Gracie Combatives program, they are available to private citizens seeking maximum self-defense skills in the shortest amount of time.

2008- The Global Training Program
Rorion’s sons, Ryron and Rener, launch the Global Training Program to preserve the effectiveness of the art as a self-defense system. The demand for Gracie or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instruction continues to grow, mostly as a result of its popularity as a sport. The unchecked growth and emphasis on competition, however, has resulted in the modification of many techniques without regard for the foundational principles of street applicability, energy efficiency, and natural body movements. Students are learning moves that rely more on sheer athleticism than on leverage and technique, and unknowingly develop reflexes that could lead to their demise in a real fight. To counter this disturbing trend, the brothers developed the Global Training Program aimed at preserving and perpetuating the complete Gracie Jiu-Jitsu curriculum, in its purest form.

The Founding Principles of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu

Grand Master Helio Gracie was introduced to the Japanese art of jiu-jitsu by his brother, Carlos, at such a young age that, as time passed, he no longer remembered many of the techniques in their original form. However, he vividly recalls experiencing great difficulty when he attempted to use the techniques on a larger opponent and, as a result, had to modify nearly everything he had learned to accommodate his frail physique. He points out that, despite the overall effectiveness and value of the Japanese techniques, nearly all of them had one or more limitations that prevented them from being fully useful to him. In most cases, he attributed the limitations to: 1) inapplicability against a striking opponent in a real fight, 2) over-reliance on strength or speed, and/or 3) dependence on body movements that were awkward or uncomfortable for him. Accordingly, he began modifying the art to ensure that every technique was fully street applicable, energy efficient, and based on natural body movements. Using these principles as a guide, he spent several years developing a complete system of self-defense consisting only of techniques that he could successfully apply against larger opponents. Confident in his adaptations, he spent the next thirty years of his life proving his system’s effectiveness by using it to defeat numerous challengers, including several opponents who outweighed him by as much as 100 pounds.

The Gracie GuidelinesAfter nearly a century of testing in a wide variety of settings, Grand Master Helio Gracie’s system of self-defense remains fundamentally sound and intact. To be sure, three generations of Gracie family members and other equally committed practitioners of the art have evolved the original techniques and added to the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu arsenal. All of these changes, however, strictly adhere to the Grand Master’s requirements for street applicability, energy efficiency, and natural body movement. Today, we call these requirements the “Gracie Guidelines.”
On your path towards Gracie Jiu-Jitsu mastery, your knowledge of the Gracie Guidelines will serve you in two important ways. First, it will enable you to solve problems on your own by modifying techniques in accordance with the guidelines, and second, it will enable you to recognize the multitude of impure techniques that are being developed by instructors who do not know, or choose not to adhere to the founding principles of the art.

Gracie Guideline #1: Street Applicability
Focus only on practicing techniques that are fully street applicable. Practicing techniques that are not “punch proof” will cause you to develop a false sense of security. By practicing techniques that keep you safe from strikes, you will develop the most important reflexes and avoid habits that could lead to injury in a real fight. If you modify a technique, you must verify that the new variation keeps you safe from all potentially dangerous strikes.

Gracie Guideline #2: Energy Efficiency
Any technique that relies on speed and power rather than leverage and timing is not energy efficient. In a real fight there is no time limit, so you must learn to save your energy. The only reliable way for you to defeat a larger, more athletic opponent is to utilize techniques that cause your opponent to exhaust energy while simultaneously preserving your own. Before adding any technique to your arsenal, you must verify that it is more reliant on leverage and proper timing than on your athletic capabilities. Do not trust techniques based on strength or speed as they are unlikely to work against a larger, stronger attacker.

Gracie Guideline #3: Natural Body Movements
Any technique that requires you to move your body unnaturally is likely to fail in the heat of battle. Natural body movement is the best foundation on which to build the instinctive reflexes needed in a real fight.

Violations of Guideline # 1 With the demand for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instruction at an all time high, thousands of self-proclaimed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors have opened schools around the world and are creating or modifying techniques at an unprecedented rate. The problem is that most of these techniques violate the first guideline of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu – they are not street applicable. The main reason for the divergence from this foundational principle is that these instructors are creating techniques for sport competition rather than real street fights. Any technique that is designed to work exclusively in a controlled competition with all of their associated rules, weight classes, time limits, safety considerations, and point systems, will give the practitioner a false sense of security since these circumstances are totally non-existent in a real fight.

Violations of Guidelines #2 & #3 Violations of Guidelines #2 and #3 occur when fast, strong and/or flexible instructors modify the techniques. In contrast, it was the Grand Master's lack of athleticism that forced him to develop techniques that relied almost exclusively on leverage making them reliable for any student regardless of their size and athletic ability. Today, nearly all of the individuals who are making the adaptations are impressive, competitive athletes, and many of their “solutions” to sport situations rely on their superior physical attributes. When a student, who is smaller, weaker, slower, or less flexible than the instructor, tries to learn these techniques, they invariably face difficulty due to their lack of equivalent athleticism. Even if a student masters one of these techniques, they will find it difficult to use it in a real fight against a more athletic opponent. Their reliance on excessive energy or an unnatural body movement will lead to exhaustion at which point they will realize the fundamental flaws in the modified technique.

The Three Fundamental QuestionsAt the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy, the primary concern is to preserve the principles and techniques as they were developed and practiced by the Grand Master so that they can be effectively taught to the greatest number of people. Few schools, if any, share this concern for the preservation of the pure techniques so you must be very discerning when adding techniques and strategies to your arsenal. To test the reliability of a new technique, ask the following three questions:

Can I apply this technique in a real fight against a striking opponent?

Is this technique energy efficient enough to be applied against a larger opponent?

Is this technique based on movements that are natural for my body?

If you cannot answer “yes” to all three questions, then you risk adding a technique to your arsenal that could lead to your demise in a street self-defense situation.

Final WarningPracticing tournament or sport techniques is risky even if you understand that they will not work in a real fight. In a real fight, you must rely on trained instincts. If you dilute your training with impure, unrealistic sport applications of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, you will hinder your ability to respond quickly and effectively with the right technique. Worse, you may reflexively execute a sport technique with potentially disastrous consequences. While there is little harm in sampling other techniques to expand your understanding of the grappling arts, you risk developing bad habits if you practice these techniques to the point of developing reflexes.

To submit a question regarding the principles of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, click here.

Top 5 Reasons to Bullyproof Your Child from Home

1.

Preparation for Bullies Although school based anti-bullying initiatives may reduce the frequency and visibility of harassment, bullies will always exist in schools and other segments of society, therefore, the only guaranteed solution to bullying is for you to "bullyproof" your child with unshakable confidence needed to take a stand and neutralize the harassment.

2.

Resist Peer Pressure In order to resist peer pressure, a child must have very high self-esteem. By teaching your child self-defense techniques and giving them a step-by-step plan for dealing with aggressive kids, you will dramatically boost their confidence, which will increase their ability to make the right choices in all areas of life.

3.

Discipline for Life The Gracie Kid’s Belt System is designed to reward children for their hard work. By engaging in the Gracie Bullyproof learning process, your child will have the opportunity to earn a new stripe every 20 classes, and with each promotion the principles of hard work perseverance will be reinforced in your child. Eventually, your child will realize that discipline and dedication nothing is impossible.

4.

Exercise the Mind and Body With child obesity rates at an all-time high, it has never been more important for children to stay active. Aside from teaching your child skills that will last a lifetime, Gracie Bullyproof provides your child with fun learning experience, as engaging as any video game, while exercising their whole body – not just there thumbs.

5.

Strengthen the Bond Most parents do not get to spend as much time with their child as they would like. The Gracie Bullyproof program allows you to make the most out of your time with your children since it’s educational and fun, but most importantly, the close physical contact of the techniques will allow you to physically bond with your child in a way that cannot be achieved by throwing a Frisbee or playing basketball.

The 5 Questions

With more than eighty years of experience instructing Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to a wide variety of students, the Gracie family has addressed nearly every question and situation that may arise in conjunction with the practice of this martial art, and what they have found is that five questions have been asked more than all the others. Furthermore, they found that the five most common most questions can usually be answered by applying a set of established problem solving principles.

If you have a question about a technique, first review the entire lesson to ensure you did not miss something as there are many details in each segment. Next, determine if your problem falls under one of the five most frequently asked questions, and apply the problem solving principles to find your answer. If you’re still having trouble, submit your question to the Technique Forum so we can help you find the answer.

Question #1: Why isn’t this move working for me?

Problem Solving Principle: Apply the four reasons that account for most students’ inability to execute a technique.

Reason #1: Missing DetailsThe most common reason for difficulty with a technique is that you simply overlooked an essential detail. Watch the lesson one or two more times to ensure that you have learned every detail.

Reason #2: Bad “Bad Guy” BehaviorWe designed the Gracie Combatives techniques to neutralize or counter the most likely attacks that would occur in a real fight. For this reason, it is very important that the “bad guy” realistically simulates the attacker behavior or else the technique may not work. Review the “Bad Guy Reminders” that are discussed in the presentation.

Reason #3: Bad TimingTiming is everything. If you feel that you are performing all the steps correctly but the technique is still not working, there is a good chance that your timing is off. Review the lesson for hints on how you can use better timing to increase your effectiveness.

Reason #4: Physical LimitationsAlthough the techniques have been proven effective for people of all demographics, it is possible that an extreme physical limitation prevents you from successfully applying a technique. However, it is very important that you verify that the problem is not due to reasons 1-3, before concluding that you cannot physically execute the technique. If a physical limitation is the problem, we recommend you use your understanding of the Gracie Guidelines (see ‘Founding Principles’) to modify the technique to accommodate your body or consider using another technique from the curriculum to solve the problem.

Question #2: What if the bad guy does something different?

Problem Solving Principle: The objective of the Gracie Combatives course is to prepare you to defend against the most common attacks that a larger, unskilled opponent would use in a real fight. If during the practice of a technique your partner varies the attack behavior from that covered in the instruction, then consider the following:

Consideration #1: Street RealnessRemember that the Gracie Combatives techniques address the most natural and, therefore, most common bad guy behaviors. Your training partner’s role is to consistently simulate the most common behavior so that you can perfect the techniques as you are most likely to apply them in a street fight. A poor training partner will constantly change behavior in order to defeat the techniques. This will prevent you from learning the techniques properly and may even promote development of bad habits. We will address all the “what if” scenarios later in your training, during the Master Cycle.

Consideration #2: Training Speed, Street Speed, and the Surprise ElementWhen practicing, always execute the techniques so slowly that it is impossible to make a mistake. The slow pace and predictability of proper training will provide your partner with many opportunities to counter the technique. Again, your training partner’s role is to consistently simulate the most common behavior so that you can perfect the techniques – not to fight with you. Eventually, your diligent and exacting practice will produce precise, efficient, and quick reflexes that will leave your attacker with no opportunity to counter your techniques. In a real fight, you will also have the advantage of surprise since your attacker will have no advanced knowledge of how you react to his actions.

Consideration #3: The Complete Curriculum Will Address Nearly Every ScenarioIf the modified bad guy behavior is legitimate, you can either wait to learn the solution to the problem in a future lesson, or you can use the Gracie Guidelines to develop your own temporary solution. Above all, remember that you must perfect the 36 Gracie Combatives techniques as we present them in the course. Any time you spend on modifications based on less likely bad guy behaviors will slow your progress toward blue belt and delay your access to the remaining 600+ techniques of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Question #3: Can’t the bad guy punch you from there?

Problem Solving Principle: Gracie Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling art that puts you within very close range of your opponent. As a result, you must be constantly aware of your opponent’s ability to punch you. Here are some facts you must consider regarding punches:

Fact #1: You Will Get PunchedIn a fight, the question is not whether you will get punched, but whether or not the punch will hurt you. We score a punch’s effectiveness from1-10 on the hypothetical “Punch Power Scale” with “1” being a weak punch and “10” representing a potential knockout blow. The objective of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu techniques is to completely avoid all punches that score 5 or above and minimize the rest.

Fact #2: Distance is EverythingIn order for a punch to land effectively, your opponent must establish the proper distance and angle. Accordingly, your ability to neutralize punches is almost entirely based on how effectively you control the distance and angles between your face and your opponent’s fists. Any time you are within two arms reach of your opponent, you are liable to get hit. The key is to remain calm and understand that you can neutralize any punch by positioning yourself either inside or outside the optimal punching range. When you are inside optimal punching range, your opponent will be able to touch your head but will not be able to hit hard enough to hurt you.

Fact #3: Punching is ExhaustingIt takes a lot of energy to punch. Whenever your opponent is throwing punches that score 4 or below, you may take solace in knowing that the punches are probably more exhausting to them than they are damaging to you and that you will soon have the opportunity to take advantage of your opponent’s weakened state.

Question #4: What if the bad guy attacks my eyes or my groin in this situation?

Problem Solving Principle: Although street fights have no rules, we have found that larger and stronger opponents prefer to punch the face rather than attack the eyes and/or groin. However, in order to defend against dirty fighting techniques you must adopt the following priorities:

Priority #1: Respect the PunchSince punches are the most common form of attack and the most immediate threat at any given time, stopping them must be your first priority. Shift your priority to defend against other types of attacks only if your opponent clearly resorts to a dirty fighting technique (eye gouge, groin shot, biting, etc.). Even when defending against other attacks, never forget to block the punches.

Priority #2: Master the Techniques You will have truly mastered the techniques when you can apply them without conscious thought. Once you reach this level you will remain calm and easily read your opponent’s behavior in the midst of a fight leading to quick neutralization of any type of attacks before they happen. Your controlling techniques and calm mind are your most reliable defense mechanisms.

Question #5: What if the bad guy is too big?

Problem Solving Principle: We have proven the effectiveness of every technique against larger opponents. Here are some facts regarding the use of the techniques against much larger adversaries:

Fact #1: True Mastery Takes TimeLearning a technique is a relatively simple process that can be accomplished in one lesson. However, perfecting the technique takes months if not years. We have found that your ability to handle larger opponents increases as you improve your mastery of the technique. As your proficiency increases, practice against progressively larger partners until you find your limit – if you have one.

Fact #2: Reach Maximum Potential with Perfect TechniqueMost Gracie Jiu-Jitsu techniques will work against an opponent of any size when executed with perfect timing and accuracy. While you can’t control the size of your attacker, you can control the amount of time and energy you dedicate to perfecting the techniques. Your ability to successfully apply your techniques against a giant is directly related your mastery of the skills.

Here are some video testimonials from parents who have used the Gracie Bullyproof program to instill confidence in their children. If you like what you see, visit the Curriculum section and watch the Parent Preparation Course, it's free and it's REALLY good!

Jonathan Sperling
As a high school English teacher, Mr. Sperling sees, first hand, the harrasment that takes place amongst children, and he is determined to make sure his child is never a victim.

Nora and Dave Duncan
Nora was tormented by an aggressive bully as a child and is using Gracie Bullyproof to ensure her children, Lilly and Gabriel, do not suffer the same torment.

Mike Fiore
Mike's son, Seth, has been diagnosed with autism. Not only has the Gracie Bullyproof program helped him with bullies, but it has helped his focus so much that he may loose his diagnosis within a year!

Chita and Ed Thalheimer
Angelina was so shy as a child that her parents, Chita and Ed, were concerned that she would be targeted by bullies. Now that she is "Bullyproof" her confidence is soaring and she is much more comfortable in social settings.

Sonia and Eric Warfield
Sonia and Eric started the Gracie Bullyproof program with their daughter, Sophia, to keep her safe from bullies. Now it's their favorite family pastime!

Gracie Bullyproof Belt Tests

Every 80 lessons, your child will be given the opportunity to qualify for an official Gracie Belt promotion via the GRACKEkids.com Video Evaluation Process. You simply film your child performing all their techniques in combination, and then you upload the video to the Testing Center. A Gracie Academy instructor evaluates your child's performance and if they meet Gracie Academy standards, we send a belt to your home to be awarded to your child! Aside from giving you the opportunity to receive valuable feedback from the Gracie Academy, the belt promotion opportunities will serve as an incredibly powerful incentive for your child. Here are some of the Belt Tests that have been submitted by actual Gracie Bullyproof students.

Every 80 lessons, your child will be given the opportunity to qualify for an official Gracie Belt promotion via the GRACKEkids.com Video Evaluation Process. You simply film your child performing all their techniques in combination, and then you upload the video to the Testing Center. A Gracie Academy instructor evaluates your child's performance and if they meet Gracie Academy standards, we send a belt to your home to be awarded to your child! Aside from giving you the opportunity to receive valuable feedback from the Gracie Academy, the belt promotion opportunities will serve as an incredibly powerful incentive for your child. Here are some of the Belt Tests that have been submitted by actual Gracie Bullyproof students.

I love the Gracie Bullyproof program! I went over the Crazy Horse lessons with my daughter once, and since then she asks me every night to do Crazy Horse. It actually works! I look forward to going over this with her for years to come and then years from now my grandkids. Thanks guys for putting together a top notch system.

- Kevin Sims

Hi, my daughter and I have been doing Gracie BULLYPROOF for three weeks now and we are both having an AWESOME time together! Not only is she learning amazing self-defense skills but we are bonding so much more as Father & Daughter because of this, and I can't thank you enough for this. If you would like to follow her Journey in Gracie BULLYPROOF she has created her own little Blog with my help which i hope you all can follow and maybe it will help inspire you the adult or even wet the apetite of your child to learn Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, here is her Blog address: www.graciebullyproof.tumblr.com. Many Thanks & Keep It Real!

- Ryan Ball

Received the Gracie BullyProof DVDs yesterday evening and I spent four hours stright watching them. I was so amazed at how much fun the kids were having. Thank you for putting together a very important training tool for our youngsters. You can see that they are excited, eager to learn and they are soaking in the info like a sponge. This will help me to make an even better bond with my Grandbabies.

- Steven Hartwright

I just wanted to say Gracie Bullyproof is incredible! My 7-year-old has learned two of the games and we spent hours playing them the other day. Ryron, Rener and the Gracie family have given me and my son such a gift, thank you so much!

- Ashley Cravens

I'm a public school teacher of 30+ years, and have also been teaching a children's safety program for several years. When your Bullyproof program was released, it looked great, and I bought it. I must say it has exceeded my expectations, and I began to incorporate it into my last class. The Mother of a 3rd grade girl told me how her daughter was being bullied, and had been beaten up by a boy in her class. She went on to explain how her daughter came home one day very excited, saying "Mom, I did it... I did it!". "You did what?", Mom asked. "I told him 'Are you challenging me to a fight? Because if you are I'm not afraid of you!'" The boy responded no , he wasn't.... and he backed away. And it get's better.... the next day, he came up and APOLOGIZED TO HER. 3rd grade! Now this was after learning only about 5 Gracie Games. What struck me was how she retained and repeated the 'verbal tackle' almost verbatim, after hearing it only a few times! The Mom said her confidence level has changed so much. (The 1st night she didn't even participate in Shark Bite.) Now she's an eager learner. Also, the reaction of the bully was just as you describe in the course. Thanks guys.....your program is..... purrr-fect :^)

- Don Witt

Connellsville PA

Just got the Gracie Bullyproof program yesterday and as soon as I come home from work my 5 year old has his Gi on waiting at the door for me ready to do Lesson 1: Spider Kid. My daughter was at a dance class at the time and was so upset that she missed it that I had to do the lesson with her at 9:30 p.m. My wife says they are obsessed! I say it is better than having them obsessed with T.V. or video games. They love it, Ryron and Rener you have yourself a family hooked on GJJ! I have a Blue Belt in BJJ(sport) and I am going to purchase the Gracie Combatives DVD set soon. I am ready to get my Blue Belt in GJJ and my dream is to become the first CTC in North Carolina. I don't currently have a school, but my goal is to open a CTC in the future. Thanks for having two awesome programs for me and my family to share!

- Scotty Dennis

I am working the crazy horse with my son. He loves it, my ears hurt (literally) of hearing his happiness and screaming when "practicing". Thanks!

- Marco M.

So last week I started training Gracie Jiu-jitsu with my girls. Anja is four and Angelina is six years old (Angelina has been cheating by doing a term of Judo first). I signed the girls up at Graciekids and started with the first free sample lesson from the gracie games (crazy horse) and the girls loved it. And after listening to the parent preparation course I am sold on this system. The gracie brothers contend that if you play the gracie games with your kids, and if you expect nothing but praise everything, then your kids will fall in love with jiu-jitsu. So after having done just two sessions, one with crazy horse and then introducing them to spider kid, they are completely hooked. The girls are asking now every day. Dad…. can we play jiu-jitsu? So they are loving it! Me, oh, I am loving it too! First of all I love Jiu-Jitsu, second of all, I love that the girls wanna play a game that I like. But it doesn’t end there… Here comes my secret, I am learning so much about jiu-jitsu playing these games. That’s right I am LEARNING Gracie Jiu-Jitsu by playing games with my kids. It doesn’t get better than this. Taken from my blog at http://warcry.olterman.se

- Patrick Olterman

You guys are amazing. Not only are my son and I learning jiu-jitsu but you guys are helping me be a better parent too. Your teaching methods and abilities are incredible. Thank you.

- Sparky Watson

Rener, I just got the Gracie Combatives collection for myself and went to a Gracie Garage(Michael Forrest) for the first time. He is a great guy and represents the Gracie Family well.The reason I am sending this message is to tell you I took my son Levi with me to the GG training session. He is 5 and had just finished his 10th lesson in Gracie Games. After the class was over I asked him if he wanted to show the guys what he had learned in the Gracie Bullyproof program. Levi is usually shy in front of people he doesn't know. He said yes and showed them CRAZY HORSE,CRAZY LEGS,SPIDER KIDS,CROCODILE CONTROL and a few others. Most of the guys had never heard of the Bullyproof program and they were blown away how much he knew and how good he did for only having had 10 lessons. You guys do a great job Thanks!

- Scotty Dennis

Dear Ryron and Rener, Firstly I'd like to just say WOW!...I am so inspired by your creativity and teaching genius. I've now had the Gracie Bullyproof program for about 2 months. One of my student’s fathers came into the academy and said "Jason you should check out the Gracie brothers "BULLYPROOF" program on YouTube.' So I said "Yeah ok I will." So a couple of days went by and then I remembered. I sat down and watched the video of you both talking about "The Most Common Teaching Mistake" I was captivated by that and thought wow! There is something about these guys and I should probably get this and see what it's all about. So, after sitting down on and off and watching every DVD when time allowed I now sit back in my office chair and wonder in awe of the greatness of this program. I have a kids program at my academy and it is going well, but this just takes the cake and I now feel like giving up...haha. At our academy we do a lot of non-profit teaching and I have been sent a lot of disenfranchised kids by parents and professionals alike and I know that they would get great benefit from "BULLYPROOF" I've told everyone about it and the parents are really excited by it. I have read on your forum that some teachers are teaching the program in their schools and primary schools. I'd love to do the same if that is ok? So I guess my question to you both is can I too, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees with your blessing introduce the games and techniques into my kids classes. My kindest regards,

- Jason Fox

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